Welcome back to the Janome Quilt Along; a monthly blog series to help you learn and improve your quilting skills. If you’re just joining in now, you can find all the previous posts here:
If you recall, in a previous post I spoke about all the different presser feet that can be used for free motion quilting. I did my free motion quilting and my ruler work quilting with the same foot: the Janome QR Ruler Work foot. This foot worked really well as did all the others I have used so far, it’s just a matter of preference and may change with each project you do. There’s a Ruler Work foot for almost all Janome sewing machines, so check with your dealer for details.
Join us LIVE at 1pm EST @janomehq Instagram page this afternoon for our series, “Ask Janome HQ” as we read and answer your questions asked by e-mail and on our Janome Canada social media. When possible, we’ll also try to answer questions LIVE, so tune in to join in the FUN while we learn about all things Janome.
“Ask Janome HQ” will be presented every other week. We’ll still be presenting our very popular, ongoing series “Janome’s Magical Machine Mystery Tour” in the alternate weeks, so be sure to FOLLOW us so you don’t miss a post!
Don’t worry if you can’t make the LIVE presentation, though. They’ll be stored in the IGTV icon on the Janome HQ Instagram Page and later posted as videos on the Janome HQ You Tube channel. A new Playlist, “Ask Janome HQ” has been created so you can easily find all the presentations there if you miss a LIVE presentation or don’t have an Instagram account.
Follow us on the Janome HQ Facebook page to see what’s new at our Janome Canada Headquarters, our Janome HQ!
It’s already August of Janome’s Sew My Year Facebook Live Presentations. To help keep you sewing this month, the theme is “Piecing 101 and Beyond!”
On today’s Janome Sewing Machine Facebook LIVE at 3pm Eastern, Celine will explain the magic of the Janome Professional Grade AcuFeed Flex HP2 Foot. Used in conjunction with the special HP (High Performance) needle plate, it’s easy to achieve that perfect and highly desired “scant” 1/4″ seam allowance.
Though Celine will be using the fabulous NEW Janome Continental M17. but the Janome HP2 foot is also available for the Janome MC15000 Quiltmaker and updated/upgraded versions; the Janome MC9450 (it comes with the machine); MC9400; Indigo Skyline S9 and updated original blue version; MC6700, and Janome Continental M7 (it comes with the machine).
Check out our handy bilingual Janome Accessories Guide or click on the Accessories Tab onJanome.CA. to find the presser feet and accessories compatible with your machine. Click the Products tab, then scroll down to find “View all Accessories“. Click there to access the Search Box or to scroll through the pages to find the accessories you’d like. Click on the picture/description to find the Part Number and machine compatibility. And, as always, check with your fabulous Janome Dealer!
Bilingual Janome Accessories Guide on the Janome.CA website
Don’t worry if you can’t make the LIVE. All of the presentations will be saved under the Videos tab of the Janome Sewing Machines Facebook page. Use the Search Box to find all the videos with CelineRoss.
Don’t have a Facebook account, don’t worry, they will be uploaded to the Janome HQ You Tube channel under the Facebook Live playlist to enjoy whenever you wish!
What a great time we had at Quilt Canada 2022 in Vancouver! I got to play on the Janome Quilt Maker Pro 20 the whole time.
I also learned so much and I can’t wait to share everything there is to know about the Janome QMP 20 and longarm quilting because I got to take the demo model home from the show!!!
At the show, I demonstrated how to set up designs to stitch out using the Pro Stitcher robotics, but also did a lot of hand-guided free motion quilting as it’s so quick and easy to switch over from computer-guided to hand-guided with just the touch of a button.
You can use pretty-much any threads on the longarm, but we used the Madeira Aeroquilt threads and I never had any issues with thread breakage. It’s a strong polyester thread, but looks and feels like cotton. The multi-colour threads looked especially striking on the solid black fabric we had on the frame.
What I love the most about the Janome QMP 20 is how light and easy it is to move around the frame. It’s a big machine with a 20″ throat space, but there is no heavy weight adding stress to your shoulders and arms when free motion quilting. I could quilt all day and not suffer any pain by the end of the day. The frame is fully adjustable so you can set it as a height most comfortable for you, which is typically so your elbows are at 90 degrees. One of the features of the Janome QMP20, however, is the fully adjustable handles, so you can further customize your comfort.
Of course, I also did some demos using the Pro Stitcher Premium computer software for Edge to Edge quilting and some custom quilting of blocks and sashing. The fun part about having the Pro Stitcher is that I can stitch out a simple design like a large daisy, then go to town filling it in free motion to add texture and originality to the design. It’s the best of both worlds!
The Janome Quilt Maker Pro 20 comes as a 12 foot frame, but can also be set up as a 4’ or 8’ frame so it will fit just about anywhere. The large 20″ x 10″ throat space is perfect to work on those large quilts, or quilts with thicker or multi-layers of batting. Check out the large LCD screen of the machine to easily adjust the stitch length, raise the needle and switch from stitch regulated mode to manual mode. This screen is replaced by the tablet when you purchase the Pro Stitcher Premium robotics, which can be added at anytime to the machine.
There are so many features to this machine which I love, but it’s the little things too like the light in the bobbin area. This is a bonus – no more flashlights to see your bobbin, especially when it’s time to clean!
I met a great dealer while working in the Janome Booth., Andrew Bentley from Maple Leaf Quilting from Cochrane, Alberta. Andrew is a very knowledgeable dealer and will be a great asset to the Janome Team servicing your Janome QMP 20 or any of the Janome long arm machines.
For the features and details of the Janome Quilt Maker Pro 20 and any of the Janome longarm machines including the Janome Quilt Maker Pro 18 Versa, which can be a stand-up or sit-down machine, contact your local dealer for more details.
Stay tuned for lots of blogs and ideas about the Janome QMP20, longarm quilting and all Janome machines!
It’s never too early to start planning a road trip this fall, especially when it involves a quilt show and Janome and ELNA machines!
Janome Canada is a proud sponsor of the Couterpointe Quebec show which takes place October 20-Sunday, October 23rd, 2022 in St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, about an hour east of Montreal.
Several years ago, our fabulous educator from Montreal, Celine, our former Sales Manager, Line, and I worked the show as we debuted the fabulous Janome Quilt Maker Pro 18. We had such fun at the show and you’ll never know who you’ll run into! lol!
Many of the vendors, as well as the patrons spoke English, so you don’t need to be concerned if French isn’t your forte. Quilting knows no language barrier! lol! I managed to get by just fine, though I was relieved to have Celine translate for me whenever necessary. You always have Google Translate on your phone to help you out, too! lol!
Perhaps you were with us 2 weeks ago when our friend, Liz Johnson from Sew4Home and I presented another exciting LIVE on the Janome Canada Facebook page. For the last several months, Liz and I have been sharing the Janome Canada and Sew4Home love on a variety of topics the third Thursday of every month.
Last month was about creating boxed corners for tote bags or cushions for Home Dec projects. Liz shared with us step-by-step samples and also provided a handy cheat sheet of formulas so you can create your own boxed corners without a pattern for your next project!
Here is a LINK to the handy downloadable and printable PDF and here is the LINK to the Janome Canada Facebook/ Sew4Home LIVE, which is also now available as a video on the Janome HQ You Tube channel.
Our next Janome Canada/ Sew4Home LIVE is Thursday, August 18th at 3pm Eastern on the Janome Canada Facebook page.
We sew appreciate your loyalty and support of Janome HQ, but alas, there will be NO LIVE at 1pm EST @janomehq Instagram page this afternoon.
HOWEVER, we will be back LIVE the following week, August 10th, 2022! I hope you’ll join me then to help celebrate!
This is the perfect time to get caught up on any presentations you might have missed as they’re all stored in IGTV on the @janomehq Instagram Page and on the Janome HQ You Tube channel.
What machine and Janome goodies will we talk about on Magical Machine Mystery Tour? It’s aMYSTERY so you must tune in each week for the big reveal!
Want to know answers to questions about your machine or about Janome products? Tune in every other week for Ask Janome HQ. Depending on the question, it may be answered LIVE!
It’s already August of Janome’s Sew My Year Facebook Live Presentations. To help keep you sewing this month, the theme is “Piecing 101 and Beyond!”
On today’s Janome Sewing Machine Facebook LIVES at 3pm Eastern, Celine will demonstrate the versatility of the Janome Clearview 1/4″ and Ditch Quilting Foot. Yes, you can use this foot for more than just piecing a quilt block with a 1/4″ seam allowance.
Though Celine will be using the fabulous NEW Janome Continental M17. there is a 1/4″ foot and Ditch Quilting foot for almost every Janome machine out there, so everyone can share in the fun!
Check out our handy bilingual Janome Accessories Guide or click on the Accessories Tab onJanome.CA. to find the presser feet and accessories compatible with your machine. Click the Products tab, then scroll down to find “View all Accessories“. Click there to access the Search Box or to scroll through the pages to find the accessories you’d like. Click on the picture/description to find the Part Number and machine compatibility. And, as always, check with your fabulous Janome Dealer!
Bilingual Janome Accessories Guide on the Janome.CA website
Don’t worry if you can’t make the LIVE. All of the presentations will be saved under the Videos tab of the Janome Sewing Machines Facebook page. Use the Search Box to find all the videos with CelineRoss.
Don’t have a Facebook account, don’t worry, they will be uploaded to the Janome HQ You Tube channel under the Facebook Live playlist to enjoy whenever you wish!
When it comes to Janome sewing machines, you will often find that we love to advertise all the additional accessory “feet” that come with the machine. Satin Stitch Foot, Even Feed Foot, ¼ Seam Foot, Overedge Foot, and the list goes on and on. You are probably wondering why you would ever need all of these feet and what is their purpose?
Well, think of sewing machine feet like footwear, yes, human footwear. Depending on what you are doing or where you plan to walk, run or hike, you often make a decision on what type of footwear would be most suitable for that occasion. Right?
For the sake of this discussion, let us talk about sporting equipment. If you were going to play hockey, would you wear flip-flops? Probably not. You would wear skates. If you were going to go bowling, would you wear snow boots? Of course not, you would wear bowling shoes! If you were going to play basketball, you would wear basketball sneakers. If you were going to play football, soccer, or baseball, likely you would wear cleats. You get the point.
The same goes for sewing machine feet where the sewing application determines which foot to use. Many of us forget that we have so many options. We find a foot that we like, in many cases, the foot that comes standard on the machine, and we just use this for everything. But let us stop and appreciate that there are different tools, in this case, different sewing presser feet for different tasks.
So to start, let’s use the Janome Satin Stitch Foot (F) as an example. There is a closed toe and Open Toe (F2) version as pictured below.
This particular foot has a very wide open toe design, which allows you to easily see the stitch being sewn with it’s unobstructed construction. Many satin stitch feet are made of clear see-through plastic so you can also see the area around where the stitch is sewn. Also, because this foot is so wide, it lets you sew the maximum width that the machine is capable of. All Janome machines range from 5-9 mm stitch width. The wider the stitch width, the more decorative and bold your stitches can be.
The foot that comes standard on your machine is the Zig-Zag Foot (A) which is also called the All-Purpose Foot or General Sewing Foot. This foot is capable of a wide variety of stitches. Perfect for seaming with a straight stitch, or when using a zig zag to finish off the raw edge of the fabric, or for attaching elastic. It’s a very useful, versatile foot, but it does have its limits.
All-Purpose/Zig Zag Foot
The Janome ¼ Seam Foot is perfect to use to achieve an accurate ¼” seam allowance which is great for piecing and quilting, and even Top Stitching.
1/4″ Seam Foot With Guide
The guide on the foot enables you to sew a perfect, accurate 1/4-inch seam every time. In patchwork piecing, consistency is all important so all your pieces match up and fit together in the end.
Janome Zipper Foot (E) looks a little different in various machine models, but the foot functions in the same way. This foot is meant for attaching zippers, allowing you to get extremely close to the zipper coil by having notches in the right and left side of the foot for straight, even rows of stitching.
This foot can be set to sew on each side of the zipper by simply removing and reattaching the foot to the other side. It is also great for sewing close to piping. Notice how the foot is completely open on either side so be careful not to catch your finger under the needle!
In future posts in this series, we will talk further about each individual foot, explain how to use them, and give examples of applications where they can be the most useful. Happy Sewing!
Quilt Canada “Reconnected” was held in Vancouver at the Convention Center in June. I hope you had the opportunity to attend this amazing event! Calling it “Reconnected” was perfect as we got to see so many people we haven’t seen in a long time. This was our first show in 3 years!
Our education team met in person for the first time, as well! Amanda and Monique joined the team during the early days of the COVID lockdown, so we have only known each other through video meetings. Below is a photo of Amanda modeling one of her quilts, and our Sales Manager, Sandra
Putting together a show is a lot of work. To everyone else, it hopefully comes across seamlessly, but there is a lot of behind-the-scenes work. The set up for the show took 12.5 hours with at least a dozen people. Several classrooms with sewing machines to unpack and set-up; 2 booths – both Janome and ELNA – with many sewing machines to unpack and Arrow sewing cabinets and chairs to assemble.
Our new Janome Continental M17 and the Janome Quilt Maker 15 made their official Canadian debut. It was wonderful to see these machines in person and in action. They were constantly stitching away! You’ll definitely be seeing more of these machines in upcoming Janome Life blogs, and across our social media.
Good news! A new shipment of machines is due to arrive in our Janome Canada warehouse any day now, so contact your nearest Janome Dealer for details!
Click on the little video below as Michael toured around the booth one morning. Shows are always a great place to get some good deals, but be sure to contact one of our Janome Canada dealers to see what deals and specials they may be offering at their store. All of the items we had in the booth are in stock in our warehouse and available from Janome Canada dealers.
We had many people stop by the booth to play on the new Janome QM15, including our Marketing Coordinator, Alan. We’ll turn him into a quilter! lol! Alan said he enjoyed how easy it was to move the machine in any direction as he made his freehand design. It offers a 15″ throat space, but a compact, lightweight design. The frame comes as 8 feet and is a more simplified version of the other Janome Quilt Maker frames, so it’s quick and easy to assemble. It’s designed with the beginner in mind, and those who want a longarm, but are short on space.
As pictured below, the Janome QM15 also has the option of the Pro Stitcher Lite computer software to have the machine quilt on it’s own. Sew many options available!
A friend of mine stopped by the booth to say Hi, and as we chatted, she started stitching on the Janome QM15. Before we knew it, she was the VERY FIRST owner of this amazing machine in all of Canada! She bough the demo model from the booth. It had just been opened and assembled at the show, so she got one before anyone else in the whole country! Congratulations Kay!
I hope all who attended enjoyed the show and had an opportunity to visit our booth. We’re looking forward to seeing you all next year in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It’s never too early to start planning!
Front Row Left to Right: Janome Educator Amanda, Janome Sales Manager Sandra: Lori from Tom’s Sewing, Carole from Tom’s Sewing, Janome Educator Anne Margaret, Janome Educator Monique. Back Row Left to Right: Janome Dealer Kerri from Tom’s Sewing, Janome Dealer Andrew from Maple Leaf Quilting, National Consumer Education Manager, Michael Smith, Janome Educator Celine Ross, Janome Canada Executive Vice President, Randy Thomas
Janome Life 